The further I get into learning a language, the more I realise I’m just scratching the surface.

Getting through a 1000-word vocabulary felt awesome when I began.

Then I learnt how to construct a few sentences.

Next, I learnt how to ask about different things.

Then I started realising there’s multiple ways of constructing a single sentence. How do I know if my construction is correct?

Then I realised how many different words there are for a single simple idea, all of which adds nuance because of the cultural context and experience of the language.

I’m taking comfort in the fact that I also learnt some tools for navigating this environment:

He aha tēnā kupu? (What is that word?)
He aha tē kupu māori mō blogging? (What is the Māori word for blogging?)

Kia kaha e hoa mā.

The Reo Project | Day 129

Welcome to my little corner of the internet.

I believe that place matters.

Our connection to whatever little corner of the planet we find ourselves in, or choose to place ourselves on, matters.

I'm relentlessly curious and continually learning.

My interests are scattered across topics including property, strategy, acoustics, psychology, theology, systems theory, quantum physics and leadership. I read, listen, watch, and learn about whatever grabs my attention in the moment.

This is a learning experiment.

I come here to try to make sense of something I’ve come across, by writing about it.

I’m immersing myself in a new language.

I’m learning to speak Te Reo Māori, the language of the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand and one of our official languages. After spending 2020 studying, I’m figuring out how to keep the journey going outside the classroom.

You’re welcome to follow along.